Event Horizon: Book 2
by ImSoAwesome
Summary: Jaune, Amber and Oscar are back. Old selves left behind, their names rise to greater heights with each ancient secret and lost city discovered. But an enemy thought long gone has returned, and Jaune's growing feelings for Amber are weighed against the desire for revenge. The question was, what did feel more? Love? Or hate? (Sequel to Event Horizon)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:** All I Ever Learned from Love

* * *

 **Co-writer:** Mike, the Remnant Paladin

* * *

Rain dripped off her face.

A giant mouth in the earth, it's rocky teeth a haunting precursor to the cold darkness below. Ilia's feet hung limp; willing herself to curl her toes didn't bring any feeling back. As if the controls to her body had been switched off. A light twitch made it clear her arms survived too, and after a cold, chalky breath, she concluded that she wasn't dead.

Vision came and went, rain seeped into her eyes, coaxing her to close them for good. Cold air scratched her belly, stomach torn open by one of the car doors as the train went off the rails. If any of her organs hung out, she was glad she couldn't move her head enough to see it.

Was this what dying felt like? Cold and silent with naught but as stray seat hung by the door keeping her taut? Ilia couldn't even say how long she'd been there... was this the first time she woke up? The second?

"H-help..." Her raspy voice went unheard.

Ilia whimpered as something shot through her. As though a knife twisting through her stomach every time the wind blew too hard. Something wet spurt inside her, but she couldn't summon the will to see how bad it was. She cried with the clouds, The burn in her stomach a hard contrast to the icy, tempting hands of sleep. Her fingers twitched, hungry to grab something. Someone. Anyone.

"-ia!"

Maybe there wasn't a point in struggling. It was for the best that she died now... all in all, it wasn't the worst way to die. Most people either wanted to go silently or in glory. Ilia didn't have a preference. Maybe a quicker one - that'd have been nice.

"- on! I - oming!"

Who was that?

The steel bars suspending Ilia rattled like rats skittered across them. Was the train going to give way? That should've been terrifying but with hope, when it hit the ground it would either crush her or explode. Then she heard something. A scuffle, a jump, a heavy crash against the train car. And suddenly there was movement in her face. It touched her face, and the feeling enough convinced her to lean into the warmth. Slicked hair, blood running down his face, he looked worse for wear. And yet blue eyes shined in the night with the same charge she saw since day one.

She croaked, her voice lost. Hopefully what words she could get out were enough - he was an idiot for coming back for her. "I won't," he denied, throwing her arm over his shoulder. Strong arms wrapped around her back, somehow gentle despite her weight and awkward angle. Her chest pressed against his, and his quick heartbeat provoked hers to match it, "Hold on."

But how could she? Maybe it was time that she died. Its not like she really had a purpose in this life. What would she do? Make a better world for the faunus? What would a weakling like her accomplish? They were better off without her…

Ilia could always remember the bad things she'd done. But not many good. There was regret, no matter how much she wished there wasn't. Whatever sins she commited were far past forgiveness. Maybe this was her punishment.

"Ilia please," the blonde huffed desperately, using his free arm to bring her closer, "Wrap your legs around me. I'll get you out of here, you've gotta trust me, okay?"

Trust? A human?

The very notion was against everything the Fang taught her. Humans were selfish - they'd step on and kick down anyone if it got them what they wanted. Why did this guy even care? They weren't friends, she was just some nobody to him. He didn't need to save her, so why was he wasting his time?

Ilia tried to see him, look at his face to find the truth. It was a trick of her mind surely, just a last ditch hope that her brain played to ease her inevitable fate. But the warmth it just... it felt too real. Too tangible to be a dream.

"I... I don't wanna..." she struggled to get out, but seemed that her rescuer knew what she wanted to say.

"And you won't." he promised, "Just hold on to me. I'd never leave you, okay?"

He'd never leave her. Ilia's lips trembled at such a silly, and yet hopeful promise. It was impossible to uphold. But she wanted to believe. Just a little, just for a minute.

The girl buried her chin in the crook of his neck, weakly but surely, securing her legs around his waist. With one arm supporting her and the other taking them up, Ilia hoped he could hear the last thing she whispered before the world vanished.

 _ **~event horizon~**_

"Should be down this street...?"

Ilia scanned the neighborhood. An assortment of traditional and modern homes built at the edge of the roads and in the sides of the mountain. It was a quaint little area, sparse of people since it was so far from the city. The girl adjusted her jacket as the wind blew, watching as leaves of red, brown and yellow rode the current.

Ilia considered and reconsidered the option of turning back. Try her luck at another job. The logical side of her spat at the notion, kicked it into the dirt until it was buried, never to surface again.

Short of working on the seedier side of Mistral, Ilia hadn't found a more lucrative option. The girl looked at her license, a badge more-like. The process had been uncannily quick - surprisingly tolerant despite their location. But then, were there many faunus that sought out such dangerous work?

The pure irony left her feeling like she'd bitten into a rotten apple.

That was only reason she was taking such a silly job. Fighter or not, she didn't crave excitement or treasure hunting. But stationed here in Mistral with nowhere to stay and to only wait on orders - it wouldn't be long before she was desperate enough to look for work.

But then she heard the Archivist Company was always welcoming. A mere walk-in, interview and waiver sign later, and she was officially a member. She thought it would have been simple after that, but apparently the company had started doing coaching regimes for starters two months ago. And for newbies, they were required to be approved for unsupervised expeditions.

Which set her on the path to her coach's home. The leader of Team Horizon, Jaune Arc.

To say they were popular in the Archivist community was an understatement. Media followed him practically everywhere. Ilia could remember a few times she'd seen them, and even heard people in the Fang meetings sometimes mention them in passing. They were home celebrities in their own right, which was awkward as it was, as Ilia wasn't sure how they were supposed to train her with cameras up their asses.

That, and the fact that they were human.

To say this was uncomfortable was an extreme understatement. Her request for a faunus trainer had thankfully been considered, but sadly none were available. But then she was assured that Team Horizon was full of kind people. Among the best she could get. No room to argue after that.

But as long as it made her money, then she supposed she could handle it. And this was the best, if not her only, option to get food on her table. Or at least a table. Baby steps.

It was then that she saw it, her scroll prompting her destination. A decently sized home alongside a few others built into the side of the mountain. Cobblestone steps took her to the door, where she hesitated.

 _It's fine. You'll be fine._ Ilia took a breath before knocking gently.

Within seconds, the door was opened, and Ilia's eyes widened as she looked up into icy eyes. A woman with short cut hair, mercilessly devouring every chip she pulled out out the bag. "Wassup, spots."

Ilia bit her tongue, hoping she hadn't seen a trace of a smirk. Thankfully, before more could be said, a rough hand cut between them and pushed the woman aside. "Vernal!" said the blonde, "You could not be a total jerk to strangers, you know?"

The girl walked off. "She'll get over it, Jaune. It was just a joke, right?"

Ilia mumbled, ignoring the desire to glare. And the desire only grew as Jaune turned to her, a smile plastered on his face. "I'm sorry about her, you're Ilia Amitola, right?"

She nodded, eyes scouring about him. He was certainly the same person she'd seen and heard about. It was almost surreal that he lived not even an hour away from her. He shook her hand with a smile, "I'm Jaune Arc. My study is downstairs, come on in."

Just like that? It felt like stepping into an unknown land, crossing the boundary that kept her from running home. The door sealed shut, taking away her final chance of escape. "Want a drink?" he asked.

His home wasn't exactly a mansion, but with how nice it looked, Ilia couldn't blame herself for being fooled for a moment. The spacious living room gave way to a group of people playing games with each other. The rude girl bitched again as she played with a few others. Ilia instantly noted the tattoo on her left arm. A bandit mark? Why did Jaune have _bandits_ in his house?

 _Why are you, a terrorist, in his house?_ Ilia shook the thought off.

Others were varied, some people his age. Maybe Haven students. An older man, sat in a recliner long since passed out. A bottle or two spilled onto the carpet. All in all, it didn't look very special. Just something like a game day or whatever.

"I win!" A girl with blue hair cheered, a victorious finger calling out Vernal, "Pay up, bitch!"

"Ugh, this game sucks. Why do I even come here?" Vernal threw the controller across the room, not batting an eye as it left a dent in the wall and the controller itself destroyed.

Jaune merely rolled his eyes and walked led Ilia to staircase below. "It's quieter down here," he said, "Sorry about my little mini-party, everyone decided to come over today."

"It's... fine." Ilia said, ignoring the sound of yet another crash, was this guy just okay with people wrecking his property? Or, dear god, was this normal?

The narrow staircase eventually opened up, revealing the pure opposite of her first impression of the house. It was still and homey, with shelves of books lining the back wall. A large round table sat at the center with a few chairs around it. It was wreck all by itself, a lake of maps, scrolls and tools strewn around messily.

A woman sat with her feet propped on the desk and a kid moved with the haste of a man on fire, scribbling this, adjusting that. Had their footsteps not alerted them, Ilia could swear he'd never leave the world he was so engaged in.

"Guys, this is Ilia. Our trainee." Jaune introduced.

The younger boy was the first to shake her hand, an admittedly cute smile on his face accentuated by the freckles. He couldn't have been older than thirteen though, could a boy his age even work for the Archivists? "Oscar Pine - navigator and translator."

The girl saluted from her perch, if she cared about being friendly, it didn't show. "Amber - designated ass-kicker, obligatory vagina of the party."

"Amber…" Jaune smacked his forehead.

 _Okay…?_ Ilia nodded at them both, unsure of what to say back. She chose something simple. "It's nice to meet you... I hope I won't be a problem for you."

"You aren't,and we're glad to help." Jaune waved it off, "Right, Amber?"

"I'm bound by contract to agree with everything my leader says."

Oscar chuckled at the girl's snark. Ilia couldn't be sure if she was joking or not. Soon enough she was seated and the clock moved like molasses. Even with the noise of upstairs gone, Ilia shifted awkwardly from time to time, staying attentive but all too aware of the minutes ticking by.

"A lot of what we do is freeform. They aren't so much rules - I guess I should say its more like a guideline. What'll get you killed and what won't. We call them 'missions', but they're mostly self-imposed excavations. No cost for failure, and rewards vary based on what we find." Jaune scratched his head with a grin, "So... not the most consistent job. People sometimes go weeks or even months just following up a lead."

Not exactly what Ilia favored, but she could tolerate a few weeks if she got somewhere soon. "Is it the same for you?"

"Most of the time, no. We try to go after what we know we can find."

He didn't sound unconfident, and neither of his teammates contested it. But if she hadn't been convinced then, she found a collection of awards the top shelf. One Year Mark. Most Successful Rookie Team. There were quite a few others too.

"So, is that all?" Ilia asked, "Like, teaching-wise?"

"Pretty much. There really isn't much to teach that you won't learn on your own. But since you'll be joining us on our next search, once that's done that should clear you to work on your own."

"And what is it we're looking for?"

The faunus jumped as the table rattled. Before her, a book laid wide open and Oscar's finger drew her eyes to the page. A man, no, a bird? With feathers under his arms, the man floated carelessly on golden clouds supported by underlings. He played a flute, its song entrancing all those around him.

Wait... a man with bird wings and golden clouds? But that was just a legend - a silly story people told wide-eyed children. Surely there was no way it could be real. Surely. "The Trove of Utahiko."

Seventy wealthy families had one day gone broke, their gold and silver swept away from them without so much as a whisper. The Mistral Emperor took precautions, but not even his impenetrable castle was safe. His precious vault was pilfered of every scrap of treasure ever compiled by the family's thousand year reign.

Security, soldiers, defenses... it all amounted to nothing. For a thief so soft and quiet the populace swore he walked on clouds. And in his pursuit, not once was blood spilled. It sounded like a myth. It was supposed to be a myth. Was Jaune serious about this?

"I know its a common story," Jaune said, taking back the book, "But we don't believe that on pure faith, we actually have something tangible to work with."

"Which is?" Ilia asked, leaning closer.

Jaune showed her a small notebook, unfurling old scroll paper written in a language she couldn't read. "These are some excerpts from interviews of Utahiko's victims that had been under his control at the time. And some of their recollections."

"Interviews?" Ilia's eyes widened, "But if they had people to confirm its the truth, why hasn't it been found yet?"

"That's just it, there isn't any _real_ confirmation," Jaune explained, "The flute thing Utahiko used distorted the way people recall memories. So they could only offer so much. And with little to work with, every recorded search so far had explorers in circles."

"So what makes you think you can do better?"

"Intuition? A good hunch? I dunno, we have a penchant for getting lucky." Amber drawled with a yawn.

Ilia somehow doubted that, but who was she to know? While she was still reeling at the possibility of a fairy tale being real, the rest of them took it like morning coffee. They had to be desperate, maybe even hopeful.

 _But maybe not..._ A hopeful thought betrayed.

"The theory we're working with is that Utahiko hid the treasure all over Anima. So finding all of it is a pipe dream. But we're aiming for the most prominent treasure Utahiko stole - the Mistral King's famous giant sapphire, the Blue Gorgon," Jaune showed a picture, a tall and somehow smooth jewel in the shape of a screaming woman, "While its not worth the value of the total treasure - it does make up an eighth of it."

"And what does that amount to?"

"Two million."

Ilia's jaw dropped. And it was through conscious effort that no drool followed. That... was way more than she needed! Such a possibly should have been exciting, but once the value of the treasure was put to scale, she could only wonder if the difficulty and danger to find it would match. Anything that valuable had to be near impossible to gain. Just finding that one thing would set her for a lifetime.

The things she could do... she could get her own home. Go back to school. The possibilities were endless. "Are you sure you can find it?"

"I mean, we try not to make promises," Jaune said, "But we do think that there is a real possibility. We have met dead ends before though."

Not the answer Ilia was looking for, but she appreciated the honesty. "So where do we go from here?" she said, a hint of energy.

"Eastborne."

"That was back where the original capital used to be," Oscar continued, "The first interview leads brings us there, which means there has to be something there that previous explorers missed. The ruins maybe."

"Oh..." Ilia's gaze fell, "alright, that's fine."

"Is something wrong?" Jaune asked with a bit _too_ much concern.

"No, I'm okay, I'm just excited, I guess."

He eyed her curiously for a second, but any pressure to rescind her lie was alleviated when he spoke again. "Uh well, alright. Then we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. Early in the morning. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Then you're all caught up, that's literally everything we can explain to you. I probably missed some stuff but well, you'll be with us a while."

Hopefully not. But until then, Ilia swung her bag over her shoulder. "Right. Then, I'm going to head home - it's getting late."

Up the staircase, past the mayhem and a smile and wave from Jaune saw Ilia on the road again. Her lips pursed as she considered it all. Not a bad meeting - they were kind, and didn't show any apprehension.

 _You're doing this for money. Not to make friends._ Ilia reminded herself, pushing back any thoughts that dared dream otherwise.

As the sky grew dark, so too did the roads. Everyone walked the same soil in Mistral, but the houses were the real indication of wealth. Where the nicer homes began to dwindle, so too did the freshness of the air. Gone was the clean breeze, replaced by grime and ash. Run down homes, convenience stores, uneven streets and seedy clubs took to the slums as a lion to the savannah. Dealers ran the alleys, and off the sides of the road, streetlamps rarely kept the world alive.

And there it was, a lone one displaced from its brothers somehow. She'd always stop to greet it, to watch it's perpetual flicker as it clung to the last vestiges of life. Still kicking for now, still holding on.

But it was pointless struggle, the silly thing. Everything died. Everything left. Eventually. However long it would take her little lamp to do so didn't matter.

Giving a once over of her surroundings, Ilia leapt onto the fire escape on the side of her building. Its bottom half was long gone, which thankfully kept the chance of intruders coming in low. Rusted metal groaned as she climbed, leaping over steps that had fallen away. Then she found her window, one of the few still intact. Sliding inside, she closed it immediately to keep the warm air inside.

Home.

Humble... maybe too humble. In a way, it was better than an actual house, since the apartments were abandoned long ago. The beds were left behind, and anything that could have been stolen was already gone. A drawer was pressed up against her door. A girl got more rest when she could close both eyes. No electricity though, but maybe that was asking the universe too much.

Ilia sighed, losing her bag, boots and pants before flopping on the bed. Not the cleanest thing, but it was nothing that stealing a few new sheets didn't fix. She took in the scent, allowing it to relax her muscles. It would have been easy to just sleep then.

Pushing herself up, she tossed the rest of her clothes aside before hopping in the bath. Didn't people say cold showers were good for the body or something? Probably the words of someone who never had a hot one.

But Ilia was used to it, scrubbing away the dirt and grime of a long day before wrapping herself in a towel. Then she was in the mirror, idly tracing strands of hair as she looked at herself.

The spots, telltale of her heritage, were unappealing to say the least. Gross to most. If they didn't call her a mongrel or a mutant, then it was usually a leper. To others, the spots were a disease, a sickness.

But no, they were normal. It was just her skin. Stranger than others, but humans didn't seem to mind that their own species varied in color. What was the problem with hers? Ilia sighed a shook her head - she always asked herself that question, and always concluded that she was better off not knowing.

Opening the small refrigerator, the girl took out the bread and peanut butter. The usual dinner. It wasn't luxurious, but it didn't have to be. All it needed to do was keep her functioning. As she always did, she tallied off the day as she remembered the year-long award on Jaune's bookshelf. A year of success, money and praise.

"Lucky guy…" Ilia muttered, climbing back into bed and curling up on the pillow. A small scroll laid beside it, a dated model that had gone out of use years ago. Perfect for Fang operatives staying updated for meetings.

Things had been slow. Things had been slow for months now. At times it was infuriating, as it seemed Sienna would take forever planning new operations. Her superiors were recruiting, the last Ilia had heard of them. And sans Blake's defection, nothing notable had happened in the organization lately.

No progress, no success. Life was a still, unmoving clock. So here Ilia was, trying to turn the hands on her own. But her superiors assured her that things would be happening soon. Which meant that her branch would be stuck here until things were put together. And hopefully they would. Sitting around was not how Ilia wanted to spend her days.

But she wouldn't stress about it tonight, instead she took something off her desk. A tiny necklace left a faint glimmer in her eyes. Her parents had wanted to get her name inscribed on it, to make it more personal. Unfortunately they hadn't much money at the time. But try they did. Her mother cut up her hands just trying to get the scratchy little letters on it.

 _Ilia, my baby._

The smile was tiny but fleeting. The girl held the necklace tight to her breast - the tiny thing was always just enough to settle her own.

And ward off the bad dreams.

 _ **~event horizon~**_

"She didn't seem weird to you?"

Jaune raised an eyebrow at his partner as he picked up soda cans and snack bags lying on the carpet. Stepping over strewn about arms and legs as the freeloaders snoozed the night away. "What do you mean?" Jaune responded, dropping Reese in the recliner seat.

"She was just kinda stiff, how did you not notice that?" Amber said, "She was all curled up in on herself - anytime someone got too close, she shifted away."

"I mean, one of my sisters is like that. Maybe that's what Ilia is like."

"Maybe," Amber shrugged, "But I think its more than that. She could be afraid of us or something."

Jaune sighed. If there was any downside to living in the east, it was definitely the prominence of racism. It wasn't subtle either - protests, establishments that openly denied service to faunus, and a slew of race crimes that steadily increased with each passing year. Even back in Vale, its not like Jaune never knew faunus were treated differently in other countries. But knowing it and seeing it were completely different, he'd come to realize.

And Ilia... thankfully one of the supervisors had called to tell him about her. So much for trying to be natural and friendly - Jaune berated himself for thinking it would be that easy. "She won't be comfortable going anywhere with us," Amber added, "Maybe we should give her to someone else?"

"No," Jaune answered immediately, "That won't help. It'll just look like we can't be bothered with her. We're the only team available right now anyway."

"I know but, ugh, look. She could put us in danger if she doesn't trust us. Negativity like that festers, and you know what that will attract."

"We aren't dropping her," Jaune said a bit more sternly, stepping over a Vernal growling in her sleep, "Lets try a few outings, what's the harm?"

Amber stared at him for a moment before eventually throwing up her hands in surrender. "If you say so."

"It'll be fine," Jaune assured her, and she gave him a look, "...I think."

"Right well, when she brings Grimm onto us and we have to run away, you'd better be prepared to lovingly sacrifice yourself to save my ass."

"Lovingly sacrifice," Jaune parroted, "Poetic. Didn't take you for a reader."

"Wanna hear a better one?" Amber chuckled, nudging his shoulder as they took out the trash together. She filled her voice with the pompousness of a fat aristocrat, "Roses are red, Violets are blue... your face sucks.."

Jaune laughed. "That doesn't rhyme."

"Its free verse, dumbass. Don't insult my art!"

Amber took the lead, continually talking shit, as per usual. One woman to handle on the team was rough enough, but now he had another. Jaune had grown up with faunus in his own village, but to say he understood what they could have dealt with... he couldn't recall anything to draw experience from. So how did he make a faunus feel comfortable enough to go in the dangerous, grimm-infested wilds with a group of humans? He liked to think that the answer was simple.

And sighed at considering he could be wrong.

 _ **~event horizon~**_

Twelve suits flocked around a black table - a crooked glare here, a wrinkled scowl there. Displeasure to some - to others, indifference. They were small men in big seats - lots of money and ambition, but not enough callous on their hands to say they earned their way.

The head was the one to lead them. Face hidden in darkness, the barest features were made clear by the low light, hiding his eyes and face. Still, he'd seen the man smile before. In perpetuity it always felt. Constantly watching, constantly laughing - at times he wondered if blood might seep through his teeth. The blood of all who'd found themselves in his service.

"Bacchus!" The head greeted with a mirth that had, in the beginning, thrown Bacchus off. That was the line of the fishing rod. A Bacchus, desperate at the time, grabbed it hook and all.

Brisk, wide shoulders stayed firm against the scrutiny of the the court. This day was always going to come, his past few missions all but guaranteed it. It felt like he was shaking, quivering like a frightened puppy despite knowing his training ensured he never did. But infallible he wasn't. Fear could be measured in many ways.

"It has come to my attention that your recent performance has not been up to code" the head continued, "I didn't believe Mister Yagi when he reported it. A soldier of your talents could do any job masterfully. I didn't believe him for a second. And why should I? You've never given me a reason to doubt you before. Oh silly Mister Yagi, quick to point the finger."

The head gave the man adjacent from him a smile. To which latter stayed rooted in silence, hands on the table reminded Bacchus that people usually had ten fingers. Not eight.

"And yet, I find myself mourning because as it turns out: Mister Yagi was correct!" The Head snickered, "And that is a shame, he had much better handwriting than me."

"It's a consistent bug, sir," Bacchus hoped to steer the conversation toward its end, "One that has been infuriatingly difficult to squash. But I assure you, I am taking all measures needed to procure your requests."

"I'd like to believe you, but I'm afraid I have nothing to base my faith on. We don't grasp at straws now, do we?"

"I could not say."

"Pardon?"

Bacchus knew this game. Pressure the target. Get into his head. Allow him to corner himself by handing out loaded questions. Tried and true, even some of the best soldiers fell to it. Bacchus didn't consider himself exemplary, but he had resilience in spades. "Yes sir, we reach for what is real. The truth. The absolute."

"That's the spirit. Now, because Mister Yagi is such a fool for not believing in you, this is your chance to give him a hand, hell, you've already got more fingers so that's a start."

Another member of the court slid a dossier to Bacchus. The man's eyes narrowed as he scanned its contents. "The Blue Gorgon? That's a fool's errand."

"Then its perfect for you, isn't it? Find it and you will find yourself in the graces of Victorya once more. Fail to, and, well, we've made that understanding clear before." Bacchus's single eye glared from across the room. All the more heated in wishing he could snap the Head's neck, but he held the power here. Always had.

"Now, put that nose of yours to work. Sniff out the Gorgon. That is all. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Bacchus had never felt better to leave, brushing past his partner who hurriedly chased behind. "What did they say?" Undine asked.

"Nothing."

"Bach."

The man stopped, fists clenched together as he tried not to say anything. His resolve weakened when Undine stepped in front of him. Crazy woman. Followed after him since their days in the military. Atlas didn't appreciate its Specialists like it used to, which was only one of the many reasons they'd decided to leave.

Now he looked back at her, at the objective face that kept him in line. Kept him from ever going too far. Defeatedly, he answered. "We're on our last rope."

As the grave, so too was the hallway and Undine in an unbroken silence. Early winter came on through, and it pricked at Bacchus's face. The path looked endless, like every struggle Bacchus managed to put himself through. Normally Undine was the optimistic one - there was always hope. There was always a way. She'd always say that. Without fail. And Bacchus would always believe her. But belief wouldn't save them this time.

"We'll figure it out," she said, touching his arm, "We've gone through worse."

"Undine, I -

"Don't."

By the time he looked up, her lips had taken his. That same wet warmth pressed through, and he'd find himself flashing back to the looks of disgust. That somehow a human and faunus weren't supposed to be together. For a time, Bacchus cared what people thought. Undine never did.

She was the stronger of the two of them. No matter how much she denied it.

"None of that pessimistic crap, you hear?" Golden eyes reached into his, accentuating the white locks tied back into a pigtail, "We'll do whatever it is we have to and then get the hell away from here. Whatever we have to do, alright?"

Whatever they had to. Words Bacchus had grown to draw strength from. If there was any reason to fight, it was for his wife. Through the fear, the pain, the struggle - she always said the right thing to get him back on his feet. Bacchus nodded. There was no need for words, Undine wasn't the kind of woman to need some long-winded speech.

They preferred actions to words anyway.

* * *

 **And there it is.**

 **Just to catch some people up, I decided to restart Romance Dawn in a different way because the first version was not appealing. It didn't have the same style I'd always wanted for Event Horizon. I feel more confident in this version. Also renamed it to simply Event Horizon: Part 2 simply because Romance Dawn felt a little cringy and strays away from the fics primary theme.**

 **Don't fix what's not broken, right?**

 **Ilia is a character I love. My second favorite if I'm being honest, and I've been eager to finally have her in this fic. And she fits perfectly with the themes and storylines I plan on tackling here and in the future.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and are excited for the future of Romance Dawn. This time for real.**

 **ISA**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:** Pull the Fish From the Water

* * *

Ilia covered her eyes as dirt and wind were kicked in the air; the bullhead leaving the party at the onset of a rocky road. A road that snaked through the hills, weaved past mountains, to what would eventually lead them to the Eastern Mistralean Colonies.

"They couldn't have dropped us off, you know, _in_ the village?" Amber drawled, "I'll be an old hag long before we get there."

Jaune nudged her. "You'll live, a walk will help you work off all that pizza you ate last night."

"Dear husband, are you calling me fat?" Amber countered with a smirk, "I'll have you know all that dough keeps my ass bouncy. Which you won't be getting any of if you keep this up."

"It's just sex on the brain with you, isn't it?"

"What else is there to think about?"

 _I dunno, maybe the mission?_ Ilia rolled her eyes. It quickly became clear that bantering and playing around was the regular thing with Jaune's group. And sure enough, it was no-holds-barred by the first step. Unending, even if it was a little entertaining. She might have pitied Oscar, as he seemed the least interactive initially. But that wasn't the case at all. While not as back and forth, Oscar did quip in from time to time. And when he did, his words landed.

They were a cohesive trio, through and through. From just watching them, it felt like each of them carried weight in the team. There were stories behind these three, and Ilia could only wonder how three very different people came together like this. It kind of made her inclusion feel static, an extra for the show.

Which was fine. The less attention they gave her the better.

It was a few minutes in that got Amber caught up in some subject with Oscar. Ilia shifted as Jaune backtracked to walk beside her, that same smile she couldn't help but think was forced. "Are you up for a game?"

A game? Was he serious? "What kind?"

"Its one Amber taught me. When I first started, I didn't know what to say to her - its kinda weird working with new people, right? So, she suggested we play a question game. Take turns asking, and we both answer them. Easy."

Ilia's eye twitched. Was he implying felt left out? Ridiculous. That couldn't be further from the truth in fact, she was relieved that she was left to her own thoughts. Off the top of her head, there was nothing substantial she had to talk to them about. However weak his attempt was to get her to interact, Ilia resigned in knowing it was best to be cooperative. "Alright, I'll play."

Jaune brightened as if she'd somehow just made his day. "Awesome, then I guess I'll start first. Favorite color?"

And it was a chain from there. Simple, informal questions, most of which Ilia kept short. But Jaune seemed riveted, blue eyes sparkling as though a child listening to grandpa's stories. She liked green, while he liked yellow. Ilia had a fondness for books thanks to certain someone, and could fully admit to not knowing much about what was on TV. Even less so about video games Jaune gushed about. The hell was Super Crash Brothers?

"You've never played it?" Jaune gaped at her, a blatant heretic for being so misinformed.

"Not really a gamer…"

"You don't need to be! Oh its so much fun, the three of us play it all the time. I've have to show you sometime."

"Maybe," Ilia doubted it would turn out how he hoped it would, but the man could dream, "Your turn."

He liked plain clothes, which made sense if his attire was anything to go buy. And one Ilia found herself relating to. Where she was partial to sweets, Jaune loved them. "Why do you think they call it a building if its already built?" he asked.

Ilia's eyes widened, and she fought off the tickle in her throat. "Who asks that kind of question?"

Jaune faltered, cheeks tinting red as he rubbed his neck. "I mean, I dunno. I just think about weird stuff like that sometimes. I blame Amber."

"They call me _Corruptor,"_ Amber affirmed with suitably wicked laughter, "Muahaha! I am here to teach your children curse words and encourage underage drinking! Sure little Timmy, its totally fine to take this shot of bourbon! You're only six? That's more than old enough!"

"She also likes to role play."

Ilia and she pursed her lips to stop a blurt, they were all strangely infectious. From there the questions were less ask and answer, something was brought up - be it stupid or profound - and then it escalated. Ilia barely noticed how quickly she'd forgotten to be curt, losing herself in the nonsense of the group.

At least until she asked a damning question, all but too late to stop herself.

"My family is pretty big. Seven sisters - god help me. Though even that pales to my extended family. I have a few aunts and uncles on both sides, and there are some cousins I've heard of but I haven't met before."

And suddenly Ilia felt a lot smaller than she did before, simply nodding in response. Juggling the number in her head, she could only guess what a childhood like that was like. Hectic. Unbalanced. But not lonely. She hoped Jaune wouldn't notice she didn't answer - or could at least tell she didn't want to. Such was not her luck.

"So...?" he implored curiously.

"So what?" She said with a bit more heat than she intended.

Jaune looked surprised for a second, turning his eyes from her as he coughed, "Nothing. Nevermind. Um... then how about this question?"

By then she tuned him out, responding when appropriate. Refusing to ask a question quickly killed whatever confidence Jaune had in the conversation, as he eventually went quiet and kept to himself. Any attempt to revive it ended much the same.

Their destination came to light as the rocky land turned to soil and grass. A stone arch welcomed them and ahead the village bustled with activity.

Eastborne.

For the cornerstone of the eastern colonies, it was rather plain. It was an assortment of disorganized homes of wood and brick, taking the temple-like origins of its old architecture and fusing it with modern innovation. Carts and cattle carried merch and crops through the dirt roads. Yukatas, tunics and dresses long outdated was the norm there, and the blend of colors left the crowds looking like a forest in the middle of fall. For a moment, Ilia found herself in awe.

She kept close to the others as they weaved through the marketplace - focusing on the back of Jaune's head just to keep from drawing attention. From a distance, likely no one would see her spots, and in such a crowd she doubted anyone would chance a second look. She'd debated simply changing her skin color, yet going down that rabbit hole again came with its own issues. Explaining the reason to Jaune, and having to hear whatever their perspective on the matter was. It wasn't worth the effort just to avoid some glares or comments.

On top of that, she'd promised herself to never again change the way she looked just to avoid a conflict. She wouldn't be like Blake and hide behind a bow.

The group broke the crowd soon enough, reaching a house past the town square. A worn sign at the top stated the single word, 'Mayor', which was everything that they needed to know. "Here we are," Jaune said, "Our guides should be here already, hopefully."

Inside, the air was warmer. The house was quaint, as Ilia had gotten a full scope of it after a once over - he main hall they they stood in and the smaller office in the back. An older man looked up from his paperwork and quickly rushed over to greet them. "It's been years since we've had an Archivist party through here, I'm Lowen - the Mayor of Eastborne. Nice to meet you all."

"Same to you, sorry we're a little late," Jaune said.

"Think nothing of it, you are actually here before your escorts," The man let out an exasperated breath, "Those boys, only ever reliable when I don't ask anything of them. But they should be here soon so if its all the same to you, shall we get down to business?"

With their seats taken, most of the conversation comprised of the Mayor, Oscar and Jaune. Amber caught Ilia looking at her, simply grinning with a shrug as she laid he chin in her palm. Letting the boys have their geek fest, Ilia assumed. Primarily it was talk over the changes in general geography of the region since the Dynasty period. A slog of information Ilia didn't bother trying to understand yet, if it became important she was sure Jaune would explain it later.

"Bluekeep is abandoned?" Jaune asked.

"Long time now," Lowen nodded, "It was a chain of issues ever since the Hao family was robbed. Neighboring countries found out and exploited debts the country owed. The Monohk eventually invaded and well, they used the keep, at least for a while. Eventually even they just left it behind."

"Weird," Oscar hummed, "It explains why Utahiko's theft spurred the end of the dynasty. But that the Monohk didn't stick around? I would think a huge castle like that would have some value."

"Well, all the treasures the kingdom had was looted. Can't really take a castle on the road with you. And the land isn't the best when it comes to terrain, its very bumpy and hard to navigate. Which is why they moved on, simply taking the territory in the middle of Mistral. What eventually split into bandit tribe territories."

"So there isn't anything left there?"

"Afraid not. Though i doubt your seeking an old legend like Utahiko in the place everyone has searched already."

True enough. If the castle had already been turned inside out looking for the treasure, then there was no way it was there. Utahiko breaks into the secret vault just to leave what he wants there? It made no sense.

"Okay, well I think that's all we need." Jaune finished penning some things down, before addressing everyone else, "I saw a lodging when we got here - beats having to rough it for tonight."

"Thank god!" Amber nodded happily, "Actual beds this time!"

"That um, may be an issue."

Jaune's eyebrows rose. "Huh? What does that mean?"

"Well…" Lowen fumbled over his words for a moment, eyes darting as if trying to figure out the best way to continue, "Please understand. I don't condone the behavior of the townsfolk, I can preach and suggest, but I have no authority without their support. So, as their representative, I must adhere to their... beliefs."

For a second his eyes met Ilia's, only to quickly turn away. Her fist balled instantly. "You've got to be kidding..." Jaune said.

"I'm sorry, but that's how it is here. Faunus treatment in the colonies is, to put it simply, unfair."

"There has to be something you can do, right? Maybe advocate for us?"

"I'm afraid not. The people here are raised in Mistral's old, traditional ways. King Hao's laws against faunus shaped their culture to its very core. Segregated villages, less opportunities, even slavery, for a time. While outright discriminatory practices have died out, and its not illegal for faunus to live in the colonies, very few would bat an eye if you were turned down from a restaurant or an inn."

Figured. Ilia just sighed, "I can just camp. It's not a big deal."

"No, we won't accept that. We'll all camp, that was the original plan anyway." Jaune said firmly, ignoring Amber's whine.

"I'm very sorry," Mayor Lowen's head dipped, "I wish there was more I could do."

Ilia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What a coward, instead of trying to change the town's ways, he just sat by and let them do what they wanted. That was probably the only reason he was still in charge, by playing to their hate instead of working against it.

Everyone turned to the door when it slammed open. Two young men, one with brisk shoulders and wide stride, a total contrast to his calmer, quieter other. At the fore, with a big grin on his face he practically yelled out the words. "Yo, whats up old man?"

"Randal, Midori. You're both late."

"So? We still made it didn't we? Y'all couldn't have been waiting long. What five? Ten minutes?"

"Thirty."

"What do you know, that's exactly how long it takes to get back here from the river. So cut us some slack... oh yeah, and our old boat sank."

"Get a new one from Harry," The Mayor sighed, "This is Team Horizon, the group you'll be escorting to the Bluekeep."

Midori was the kinder of the two, greeting everyone pretty normally. Randal much the same... only he conveniently managed to skip over Ilia. Better yet: his excuse was 'he didn't see her there'.

 _Right. Very subtle._

"Anyway, now that we're all best friends and stuff, let's get a move on. Storms roll in pretty randomly about this time." Randal took the lead, and all the power to him as his brother, Amber and Oscar followed close behind. And for a moment, Ilia lingered, rubbing her bridge of her nose in the hopes of warding off a headache.

She'd known coming here was a bad idea. The very moment Jaune told her Eastborne was the destination, she knew it was best to call it quits. She almost wanted to laugh. Maybe she was some of kind of masochist, actively seeking out this treatment for some stupid reason. A brief touch on her arm and she looked up at Jaune. The wane in his eyes as he looked at her, looked _down_ on her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"But you -

"I said I'm fine!"

He flinched then, and immediately Ilia wished she could hide her face. She knew better. Reacting didn't help, letting humans see that they were affecting her only let them win. Jaune didn't say more, with a nod he let the conversation die there. He didn't believe her, Ilia wouldn't believe herself either. And somehow that angered her more than anything else. What was he even concerned for? Its not like this was something he could understand. It was past his understanding.

Before he could say more, Ilia forced herself to move, hoping the trip in the ruins would be a lot more accommodating than this damn village.

* * *

 _ **~event horizon~**_

* * *

 _Nice one, genius..._ Jaune held in what might have been his millionth sigh since they got on the river.

Water ran smoothly through the chasm, tall natural walls encased the river, ensuring its path was narrow and straight. He'd come to learn that Sam was avid about his village's history, as he had not stopped talking about since departure. Eventually Jaune stopped listening, thankful to be in the opposite boat with Ilia and Midori.

Oscar innocently listened, enthralled about anything history related. And Jaune smiled back as Amber desperately reached for him to save her from Randal's marathon mouth. Nah, he'd let her suffer a little longer. More importantly, Jaune's problem was the girl in front of him. Who sat quietly, running her hand through the water without so much as a peep. What was he supposed to say?

He hadn't considered that Eastborne would be so stuck in their own ways even after all this time. It was a quiet, damn near unnoticeable part of Anima cut off from society. And now he saw why, it was practically its own world, guided by outdated traditions that wouldn't be tolerated in the modern world. Would it?

Ilia seemed to handle it well enough, but to see it so actively with a member of his party just felt so disarming. He could only imagine feeling like a detriment to their mission simply because of his race. He just didn't know how to fathom that.

 _Try again._ One side of Jaune pecked at the idea. Whether it was his better judgement, or the side hungry for punishment, Jaune decided to do so. "Il-

"Hey, leader guy! You listening?"

Miffed, Jaune turned to Randal. "Yeah, I am."

"Good, cuz I was just getting to the stuff about Utahiko. It's an old wives' tale for sure, but past the idea of magic, the treasure that was stolen was real. Heck, with that kind of gold, he could probably buy out an entire country." Randal chuckled, nudging Oscar, "Probably just wanted some bird seed though, right?"

"Uh..." Oscar awkwardly responded.

"In any case, finding the thief had been impossible. So he was presumed dead. And even though the capital got their hands on a cohort of his, he ultimately didn't give anything away."

"A cohort?" Jaune's eyebrow's rose, "What's his name?"

"Tomas, I believe... yeah, he was supposed to be a friend of his. Human, if you can believe it."

"What's so hard to believe about that?" Jaune griped, "Wait… you mean Utahiko was a faunus?"

"A bird faunus. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean any offense. Back then things were just different. If faunus were getting lynched, the humans that sided with them were getting lynched too. Not fair if you ask me - if only one side is getting screwed, why through yourself in if you're safe? That's why this Tomas lost his head... for siding with the bad ones."

The _bad_ ones? Jaune heard a low sound from Ilia, he doubted it'd be very long before that growl became something louder. "Okay, I think its for the best that we stop this -

"I mean, really? Was all that gold worth it? In the end, it was a human that went down for a faunus's crime. Pretty messed up if you ask me, some supposed friend, you know? Couldn't blame the country then, it all but proved everything they already knew."

"I just said that -

"Damn shame though, faunus are kinda exotic in a weird way. Wouldn't you say, Miss uh, forgot your name. What are you like a snake? Frog? Suppose that helps since if you can't get normal food, you can always eat some bugs."

"I said stop!"

Jaune splashed water in Randal's face, instantly quieting him. Meanwhile, his other hand rested on Ilia's shoulder, quick to stop her the moment he thought she might stand. "Your job is to get us to the ruins, not to mouth off about this or that. I don't want to hear anything else, got it?"

The silence was staggering to the point that Jaune wasn't sure how long to hold the glare. And even though Randal didn't respond, he said nothing more afterwards. The only sound to be heard going forward was the running water. Jaune let out a thankful breath, turning to Ilia with a whisper. "Hey, I'm sorry that -

"Leave me alone."

"Look, I know its just -

Throwing off his hand put a stopper to his words, the girl crossing her arms. If there was anything growing up in a house full of women taught him was that from that point on, she'd no longer listen to him.

Surrendering, Jaune let his arms fall over the side of the boat. Desperate for a hero, he reached for his partner, hoping she would save him from this mess. Alas, the world was cruel that Amber should find her revenge. Savoring victory, Amber smiled and left him to his quiet, awkward fate.

 _Touche, partner, touche._

* * *

 _ **~event horizon~**_

* * *

With a slow breath and a splash of water in her face, Ilia felt like her heart had finally settled.

From the canoes, they found the cars, which took them through the bumpy mountain path. Jaune had the good sense to dismiss the brothers as soon as they reached their destination.

Good riddance.

The Bluekeep was the very definition of a relic, with eroded banners that had lost all semblance of identity over time. Some walls had fallen, but the majority of it stood the test of time. Nature had taken its course, vines and shrubbery coating the outer layers, by now it looked like it was meant to be weaved together that way.

"So this is Bluekeep Castle..." Jaune gathered everyone around, "That makes this our first landmark."

"What makes you say that?" Ilia had barely gotten the question out before Jaune opened the little clue book. "The Bluekeep. I was there, I remember that. And we went in the direction of the inner valley... near the mountains," he repeated, "That's the report of a soldier in King Hao's personal guard."

"He remembers being here while under Utahiko's trance?"

"Yeah, weird... I guess this is one of the few things he could recall. But then, why here? Why does he remember Bluekeep specifically?"

"The inner valley, that's just east of here," Amber pointed out, dragging her finger across its location, "A day or two from here, it should take us through the Stallion Premier."

An eager smile took up the entirety of Oscar's face. "We are stopping there, right?"

Jaune rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Sure, I guess. But not for long, we're only passing through."

"Yes!" Oscar cheered, only to stop and cough into his fist, "I mean uh, thats cool, I guess."

Ilia did not want to laugh. She just choked on some spit was all. "So Utahiko was here at Bluekeep, that must mean he was after the King's treasures at this point. That's why the guard remembers being here so specifically. And if they went into the inner valley..."

"The vault must be out there," Amber finished, "Which explains why the Monohk never found anything."

"Yeah, so where is the actual vault?"

And it suddenly dawned in Ilia why it was such an issue. The valley was a straight shot, with a subset of rivers cutting through. But from the narrow, it expanded into a great assemblage of mountains, which took up a great portion of Mistral's eastern edge.

"I think it goes without saying that it would take forever to be thorough around even one mountain. We have to narrow it down." Oscar said.

"Well," Jaune stated, wrapping up the map, "We know where we're headed for now, so let's get going before the sun starts to set."

And they were on the road again just like that. The sun came and fell, taking away their light just as they found a safe enough spot to rest for the night. Ilia could see the fire from her spot away from the others, not too close but not far off either. Amber and Oscar had gone to sleep pretty quickly, leaving Ilia alone with the stars.

She looked at the necklace in her hands, startled in hiding it as she heard grass crunch. Looking up, she held let out a breath in seeing it was just Jaune. Really, at this point he was practically a stalker.

"No Grimm. Anymore anyway." Jaune reported with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, well good. We can sleep easily then."

"Yeah."

Ilia wasn't unused to awkward conversation, if there was such a thing as getting used to it. Yet the palpable obliviousness that Jaune seemed to have as he shuffled where he stood put her on the spot, blue eyes darting about in desperation for something else to bring up. Ilia decided to kill that dream before it could fester. "I'd better get some sleep then. Good night."

"Wait, Ilia," Jaune called suddenly, he'd reached out for her, but drawn back just as quickly. "I'm sorry about all of this."

"What?"

"I mean that I didn't know the people here would be like this. I feel bad that your first outing with us had to turn out like… that."

"It's Mistral. I'd be surprised if it _didn't_ happen."

"I get that, but still... I don't want you to feel like you're not important to my group. You shouldn't have to be the one camping alone just so we can have an inn, you know?"

"Well let me be frank with you then," Ilia stated, "I appreciate it, but I'm not looking for friends. I don't need your help or support. I can take care of myself just fine. I don't need a hu -" And Ilia paused there, wondering if it were perhaps too late to take it back. Jaune knew what she was going to say, and there was surprisingly little to no real reaction toward it. " - your help. I won't jeopardize the expedition, but I'd rather we just got it done and went our own ways."

"But -" And again, he stopped himself. This time without her need to make him. And there was hesitance from him, as if its not at all how he imagined the conversation would go, "Okay. As long you're okay, then I understand," Jaune stood, "Yeah so... good night, Ilia."

Ilia considering responding, but he was already by the fire before it was needed. From there all she saw was his back, the rest of him set aglow by the fire. Crazy guy. No one just became friends that easily. If he honestly thought she'd be won over just because he wasn't prejudiced, he had another thing coming.

Maybe he was one of the few who didn't hate faunus. Its not like Ilia didn't think humans like that existed, she'd run into plenty. But they all fell into a category. The ones who cause the hate, and those who let it happen. Whether that made Jaune as guilty as the brothers or not, Ilia didn't know.

It was in these moments, when she laid her head down and closed her eyes, that she'd think about the day as a whole. The trip, her teammates, the village, the mayor and brothers... it was a mix of good and bad, but mostly the latter. Yet Ilia found herself watching Jaune again, berating herself for staring instead of getting to sleep. Her brain wandered, looking for a word that would best describe a man like him. Eventually she acknowledged that she wouldn't stop staring if he was right in her field of vision and turned over.

It didn't work.

* * *

 **Ugh, why was this chapter such a pain?**

 **I guess its because I wish there was more foundation for the racism in the RWBY universe than is 'shown' in canon. Unfortunately canon does not do the best job portraying the extent of racism in its universe so i didn't really know what to go with for this. All in all, this isn't my proudest chapter as I don't feel fully confident in it, but you can only edit so much before you're just stalling. Best to just post and see how others feel.**

 **Its always this point in the story that gets me the most frustrated since I'm not in the stride of the storyline yet. But well, I'll get there, the next chapter should be much more exciting.**

 **Hope ya'll are enjoying and I'll see ya in the next one.**

 **ISA**


End file.
